Just like that, Halloween is over. Are those Christmas carols I hear? Before you toss out your jack-o-lanterns, read on about how beneficial they are to livestock!!

What?! Animals can eat pumpkins?

By golly, they can! And they love them! Horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry- you name it, they like it. In fact, not just pumpkins- any kind of squash!

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But is squash good for them?

Yes! Pumpkins are a significant source of Vitamins A & E, folate, and fiber. They are a good protein source despite being nearly 85% water!

Our pigs and chickens especially love pumpkins. They always go crazy when I smash some up for them.

Pent up aggression? Always wanted to be one of those hooligans, smashing pumpkins in the middle of the night? Head out to the pasture and smash some pumpkins for your animals! It actually is quite fun (no, I don’t get out much).

Pumpkins are hard… how can they eat them!?

If the pumpkins are still pretty hard, cutting them up (I use a splitting maul or ax) or smashing them into smaller pieces can make it easier for the animals to chew. Furthermore, as pumpkins freeze/thaw, they get softer and this will also make it easier for your livestock to consume.

What if I made pumpkin pie/squash and all I have are the seeds/guts and shell?

Perfect! That works too! In fact, pumpkin seeds may be a natural dewormer. There is not concrete evidence that this is 100% effective but pumpkins and squash seeds contain cucurbitacin, a deworming compound. If you have a high parasite load, it is wise to use a [easyazon_link identifier=”B00CAO4DA2″ locale=”US” tag=”modern0fb-20 “]commercial dewormer[/easyazon_link] but if that is not the case, using squash as a preventative is a great option!

Can livestock eat rotten, nasty squash?

You would be surprised how not-picky animals are! And no, it’s not dangerous to feed them rotten pumpkins. 😉

Are there any negatives to feeding squash to livestock?

If you are feeding carved pumpkins from other people, be sure that the pumpkins were not treated with anything harmful (soaking pumpkins in bleach to slow down the decaying process is all the rage these days) and I would avoid feeding any painted pumpkins unless you know for sure the paint was from your neighbor, Lisa, who would certainly only use 100% non-toxic, chemical free, natural, biodegradable paint.
The other downfall to pumpkin fodder…. poop. Well, not the poop itself but the chance that some of the seeds will not be fully digested and you will end up with your own pumpkin patch in your pasture next year. No fear though, you can either pull up the plants when you see them or let the animals take care of them for you.

I’m sold. Pumpkins for everyone! Now, where can I get more pumpkins!?

Ask around at your local pumpkin patch or farmers market- putting an ad on facebook or other social media outlets can also generate leads. After Halloween, many farmers let their leftover crops rot in the field, plowing them under in the spring. If they don’t have their own livestock to feed, they may be more than willing to let you pick a load of pumpkins for your animals.

If possible, get as many as you can. I mean… free food! Try to keep them in a cool, dark place- not letting them freeze if at all possible- and they can last for months! I’ve seen some farmers make a “den” out of haybales to store their pumpkins. With the price of hay this year, maybe not the best option, but it’s a great idea!

When it comes to raising livestock, finding healthy alternatives- especially ones that lower your feed bill- are always a big plus! I hope this helps you on your own homesteading adventure. If you do not have your own animals but have pumpkins to get rid of, don’t send them to the landfill- find a farmer to take them off your hands!

Thank you for stopping by the homestead.

Until next time,

Melissa

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